Sean O’Malley does not pick his opponents.
That said, “Suga” will continue to campaign for a rematch against No. 6-ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Vera for his first 135-pound title defense, because “Chito” — and the backstory that comes with him — could return a far bigger payday than a ho-hum showdown opposite No. 2-ranked Merab Dvalishvili.
O’Malley suggests “The Machine” is merely the Wish.com version of Aljamain Sterling.
The Schmo (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “I think Aljo is better than Merab and I know I’m able to knock out Aljo. It is who it is. It’s been like that. People act like I call my shots on all my fights, but I’m going to take who they give me. I think as a business, it makes sense, me vs. ‘Chito,’ to make the most money. He’s coming off a win over Pedro (Munhoz), who I beat in two rounds, but we’ll see.”
O’Malley was stopped by Vera at the UFC 252 pay-per-view (PPV) event back in summer 2020. In the three years that followed, “Suga” put together a 5-0 streak with one “No Contest” against Pedro Munoz, who fell to “Chito” at UFC 292 just last month.
That’s the same event that saw O’Malley capture the bantamweight crown.
“I remember the first time after [Vera and I] fought, everyone was like, ‘Aren’t you going to ask for a rematch?’ I said, ‘No, no, no – that rematch will happen when it’s supposed to happen,’” O’Malley continued. “And right now, it’s supposed to happen. This is the next fight. That’s what I want, and I think that’s what’s going to happen, but we’ll see.”
UFC is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks, if not sooner.
